1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exit apparatus for computer modules, and more particularly to an exit apparatus for computer modules that simplify the conventionally complicated exit apparatus to effectively reduce the manufacturing process, increase the sensitivity, and prevent elastic elements from fatigue.
2. Description of Related Art
Based upon the prior art, a module-loading tray is disposed in a computer or other audio/video products to provide an electric loop that connects modules or cartridges with the mainframe. However, users have to manually insert modules in the module-loading tray when operating the modules, and manually retrieve modules out of the module-loading tray after finishing the operation. The design of manually inserting and retrieving modules not only leads to inconvenient operation, but also makes the modules and mainframes susceptible to damage.
Consequently, improvements have been made regarding the design of module-loading tray with an exit apparatus for inserting and retrieving modules more conveniently. FIG. 1 shows a conventional exit apparatus 1 in a notebook computer. The exit apparatus 1 disposed in the module-loading tray 10 of the computer comprises a first lever 11, a first elastic member 12, a second lever 13 and a second elastic member 14. One end of the first elastic member 12 joins a lug 110 located on the underside of the first lever 11 and forms a free end; the other end of the first elastic member 12 joins a lug 100 located on the module-loading tray 10 and forms a fixed end. The first lever 11 is held within a sliding groove 102, which constrains the motion of the first lever 11 to forward and backward direction. A laminated spring 111 is disposed on the left side of the first lever 11, and two sliding rails 103 and 104 are formed on the left side of the sliding groove 102 with a divider 105 dividing the sliding rail 103 and 104. When the first lever 11 is pushed along the sliding groove 102 toward direction A, the laminated spring 111 is channeled by the divider 105 to slide through the sliding rail 103; on the other hand, when the first lever 11 is pulled out of the sliding groove 102 toward direction B, the divider 105 thus channels the laminated spring 111 to slide through the sliding rail 104.
One end of the second elastic member 14 joins a lug 130 located on the second lever 13 and forms a free end; the other end of the second elastic member 14 joins a lug 101 located on the module-loading tray 10 and forms a fixed end. The second lever 13 is held within a sliding groove 102, which constrains the motion of the second lever 13 to left and right direction.
When the first lever 11 receives a pushing force in direction A, it receives at the same time an elastic recoiling force in direction B from the first elastic member 12 since the first elastic member 12 is extended. Meanwhile, since one end of the second elastic member 14 is fixed by the lug 101 of the module-loading tray 10 and the other end of the second elastic member 14 is compressed by the lug 130 of the second lever 13 toward direction D, there exists an elastic recoiling force in direction C. Therefore, a hook 131 on the right side of the second lever 13 moves toward left and finally hooks a concavity 112 on the right side of the first lever 11, and then the exit apparatus 1 achieves a state of equilibrium.
As shown in FIG. 1, a module 15 has a concavity 151 on one side, when the user pushes a protruding section 132 of the second lever 13 to move the second lever 13 toward direction D, the hook 131 is released from the concavity 112 of the first lever 11. Therefore, the first lever 11 is released and slides toward direction B, then the laminated spring 111 slides through the sliding rail 104 and hooks on the concavity 151 of the module 15, and then the user can pull the first lever 11 and bring out the module 15 from the module-loading tray 10.
In conclusion, the foregoing exit apparatus 1 contains parts with complicated structures, thus raising the production cost considerably, and leading to difficult maintenance. Furthermore, when the exit apparatus 1 of prior art is under the state of equilibrium, the elastic members therein are kept extended, a condition that causes the elastic members to lose elasticity and sensitivity in the long run. Eventually, the modules might not even be able to be pulled out when released.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an exit apparatus for computer modules, particularly an exit apparatus, disposed in module-loading trays of computers or other audio/video products. The exit apparatus includes a first lever that connects with a first elastic member, and a second lever that connects with a second elastic member. The two ends of the first elastic member are joined with the first lever and the module-loading tray respectively, thus the first lever is able to move rectilinearly within a sliding groove of the module-loading tray by the pulling force of the first elastic member. The two ends of the second elastic member are joined with the second lever and the module-loading tray respectively, thus the second lever is able to move horizontally within another sliding groove of the module-loading tray by the pulling force of the first elastic member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exit apparatus for computer modules, wherein the rear end of the first lever buckles loosely with a dragging plate, whereof the rear end forms a hooking section. When a module is placed inside the module-loading tray, the hooking section at the end of the dragging plate comes in contact with the module and the module is pushed backwards along with the dragging plate, to the inside of the module-loading tray. At this time the user pushes the first lever into the module-loading tray, the first elastic member is under compression and the protruding section of the second lever locks with the concavity of the first lever, thus achieving the state of equilibrium. When the protruding section of the second lever is pulled out of the concavity of the first lever, the first elastic member is released, thus generating an elastic recoiling force that the first lever is moved for a short distance, and when the first lever is pulled out and the dragging plate is pulled out accordingly, thus the user can retrieve a module from the module-loading tray.